Science and philosophy

Rowan Williams said:

"Our culture is one that deeply praises science, so we assume because someone is a good scientist, they must be a good philosopher." (lecture at Swansea University)

* He rejected Prof Dawkins's theory which assumes culture is transmitted in a similar way to biology, through "memes" as opposed to genes, and added: "I find this philosophically crass and undeveloped at best, simply contradictory and empty at worst."

* Dr Williams added that to see religion as a survival strategy was to misunderstand it.